25 Acts of Kindness

I was so depressed about this year's birthday for multiple reasons. However as I was wallowing in self-pity of this next year, I realized that instead of being so full of self and complaining that I should take the focus off me and serve others in this time. What better way to get over yourself by serving others? So throughout the month of May I have decided to partake in acts of kindness in honor of my birthday. So here I wanted to highlight a few of the things I did during my birthday month to share the love, take the view off of myself, and be a blessing to others: 

1. United Way Ben & Jerry's donation

While partaking of a sweet treat, the United Way was running a campaign so I was able to donate to a great cause while enjoying a guilty pleasure


2. Bought lunch for a needy college couple
also known as my brother and his girlfriend. They both just started working in Charlotte together and have little to no money. While I was in town for a work conference, I stopped by and treated them to lunch!

3. Donate books to Boys & Girls Club
I have tons of books that I've already read and needed to clean space on my bookshelf, so I packed them up and brought them to the Boys & Girls Club in my town

4. Leave a water/Gatorade for Mailman

5. Pick up trash on a walk

6. Encouraging cards for someone who needs it

7. Create a homeless bag for Church Under the Bridge
At my church we all came together and helped stuff bags for homeless people in our community. There is a great organization called Church Under the Bridge which serves homeless people in the area with basic necessities and the Word of God. Check it out here 

8. Give a book to someone
As I was cleaning out my bookcases, I felt like God wanted me to give this particular book to a girl I've met at church a few times. So I put a little note and a cute bookmark in it and gave it to her the next week at church. I hope it bless's her like it has blessed me.

9. A gift to a friend just because
I met one of my best friends for drinks and appetizers one night and just packaged a little gift bag for her, just because. Sometimes its nice to get a gift simply because!

10. Letter to a sick kid
I found a website where you can write letters to children in hospitals to brighten up their day!

11. Buy flowers for someone just because

12. Donated Rice for foreign countries

This is a super cool website that donates rice (one of the main sources of food in many improverished countries) to villages just because you answer questions! It's like the ultimate trivia game: you answer questions and people get food to eat. Pretty cool. Freerice.com   

13. Donate old glasses to people who would otherwise not be able to have glasses 

14. Donate old cell phones to veterans through local store

15. Baby Gifts for a Mom in Need
I became aware of an old friend who was in a tight spot and expecting a baby...with nothing to bring the baby home. Along with a few other friends, we chipped in and stocked up mommy and bay for a good few months. Babies are a blessing afterall!

16. Buy someone's coffee behind you.
Ran through Starbucks today and covered the car behind me and left a note! Pass along the smiles.

17. Donated toothpaste to Mary's House 

Mary's House is a local home for women who are recovering from substance abuse with small children. They had a need for toothpaste while I was at the grocery store, so I grabbed an extra tube! 

18. Donate clothes to needy (Goodwill or another shop)

19. Compassion International Ministry 

About a year ago I started to sponsor a little girl in Tanzania named "Sara". She is six-years-old and lives with her grandmother and mother in a village that is largely agricultural. This month I decided to send her a few extra sweet things including an extra gift and some pictures and a letter from me to her! Want to learn more about sponsoring a child, go here: Compassion

20. Post in notes in a bathroom. Posted some encouraging notes on a bathroom in a local store like "You are beautiful" "You are valued" "You look fabulous!"

21. "Take what you need" 
Printed off a sheet and posted it in local Starbucks. Take what you need: patience, love, joy with Bible verses attached to each slip of paper!

22. Leave some love behind
I thought I'd leave a little love for a sweet coworker on Friday night (after he left) so he can have a smile first thing on Monday morning (: I covered his computers in sticky notes with encouraging notes

#TheGalatiansProject

This year marks a milestone for me: I'm officially a quarter-of-a-century years old. Now while to some of you this is probably no big deal, this has been a daunting birthday for me. It has loomed in the not-so-distant future but now I am here. Laugh as you will but it was always a scary number to me. Maybe it's because as a kid twenty-five seemed soooo 'old' and adultish, or maybe because as it got closer to the date, the more I realize that the life my twelve-year-old self imagined and the life I'm living are drastically different. 

However different doesn't necessarily mean bad. At twenty-five I work a job I love that allows me to jet-set on a monthly basis, have been blessed to travel the world for fun,  in the middle of my Masters degree, and pursuing the Lords call to go into the mission field. As I prepare my heart for missions I just felt like God wanted me to take the focus on "me" and focus on serving others. 
Galatians 5:13 "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love".
So for the next month my focus is on others: serving others, loving others, and being a kind heart and shining light to show others that it's not about me or you- it's about love. Welcome to #TheGalatiansProject

The Thankful Project: November 24th

The Thankful Project: November 24th: This

Today I'm thankful for this truth. I'm thankful that God is greater than it all, that the enemy can huff and puff all he wants, but the war has been won. God's greater than anything you've done, anything anyone's ever done to you, or anything you will do. No president, no king, no minister is great than God. But what is even better is that Jesus was hanging on that cross and thinking about you, and He would've died for just one person or ten million people. Don't ever think you're too far gone to feel love. It's the most wonderful and unconditional love you will ever experience, you just need to accept it.

The Thankful Project: November 12th

The Thankful Project: November 12th: A Pet

Whoever said "It's only a dog" has obviously never loved a dog

“After years of having a dog, you know him. You know the meaning of his snuffs and grunts and barks. Every twitch of the ears is a question or statement, every wag of the tail is an exclamation”

When you get an animal, it becomes more than just a pet, it becomes a part of the family. Fourteen years ago we added one more baby into our family, and she happened to have four paws and a tail. Now we consider her family, we don’t discriminate against the number of paws she has or that her nose is wet; we just love her. Abby was so small she could fit in our two hands. She was more like a big cotton ball then a puppy, heck her tail hadn’t even curled yet. Although my parents would say she definitely had her trying moments (like when she chewed the bottom of the blinds in the kitchen, or when she whined all night long, or when she ate a whole Subway teriyaki chicken sandwich off the counter)…she has become the center of our family.

I seriously doubt there is a dog that is more loved, more spoiled and more pampered than Abby. She has three dog beds on the first floor of our home and not to mention the plethora of couches, chairs, sofas, ottomans and beds elsewhere in the house she can choose from. Our family Christmas card always includes a little love from the baby and in case any of our family questioned our undying love for her, we throw her a birthday party every January (to in which, she gets birthday cards FROM our family…yeah we’re crazy)

I hate to see Abby get older (she’ll be fourteen come January) and it just breaks my heart to think of a day when she won’t be here, but we’ve been blessed with her for this long and are praying for several more healthy years for our baby. I’m so thankful for our little fluffy muffin and her sweet nature. She is affectionate and loving, always there to cuddle and lick away your tears. She is playful and funny when you need a laugh. She tends to wounds and knows when you’re hurting and offers her own fluff as a comfort. She’s the absolute best friend (and sister) a girl could ever want. 

The Thankful Project: November 9th

The Thankful Project: November 9th: Photo

Photographs forever freeze a moment in time. Photographs capture love. Photographs capture pain. Photographs invoke feelings, emotions, thoughts and memories. Photographs become a time capsule in which you can capture things you can’t necessarily express in words. For this, I am thankful.  

I'm thankful for friendship & sisterhood

I'm thankful for adventures and trips to wonderful places

I'm thankful for yoga.

I'm thankful for a close family (who likes to do adventurous things)

I'm thankful for dance

I'm thankful for Crossfit & the wonderful athletes I've met along the way

I'm thankful for God and how He constantly amazes me with His creation and His love.

The Thankful Project: November 2nd

I'm The Thankful Project: November 2nd: A role you've played

How would you describe yourself and the roles you play? Just off the top of my head I'd have to say: a daughter, a granddaughter, a niece, a cousin, a sister, a friend, a colleague, a sister in Christ, a counselor, a leader, an ambassador and a mentor. I've held many roles in my life. In college I was in a sorority and held many leadership positions including the "sorority mom" role for several years. After returning from overseas I became a study abroad ambassador. I've had a job since I was sixteen and held different roles such as a leader and trainer. However the hats I wear on a daily basis, without fail are: daughter of the King, sister in Christ, a daughter, and a sister. 

I'm the oldest of four. There's me, Tyler (20) and Jack (16) + Abby (14). With the exception of our fluffy sister Abby, I am the only girl in the family. I'd love to say that my brothers and I have been best friends our whole lives and we never fought…but unfortunately that isn't true. We had our growing pains. They'd pick on me, I'd pick on them. We wrestled and fought. We drove our each other nuts sometimes but more often we probably drove our parents nuts!  However through all the growing pain and squabbles, we always knew that we each had each others back. I remember vividly threatening/beating up (okay 'beat up' may be a stretch) a kid at daycare who was taunting Tyler- no one messed with my kid brothers except me! 

I think the changing moment in our relationship was when I went to college and for the first time we were all separate. It was the first time we had to make an effort to have a relationship, talk and stay connected. I can definitely say that my brothers and I have a new-found wonderful relationship and get to bond over new experiences. My brothers have become such wonderful young men, respectful, loving, and compassionate and I am so proud to be their sister. I love you guys! 

A Mothers Love

The love of a parent is a rare type of love; a type of love that we don't experience often. I'd compare it to the most Heavenly type of love we'll ever experience in our earthly bodies: sacrificial, endless love. 

In a Biblical sense, this kind of love is called "agape". Agape love, by definition is “selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love in the Bible”. This Greek word and variations of it are found throughout the New Testament. Agape perfectly describes the kind of love Jesus Christ has for his Father and for his followers:

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” John 14:21

This spiritual and unconditional love is experienced between you and the Father, but I feel like a human encounter with this type of love is with our mothers. Mothers are selfless, sacrificial and their love is boundless and endless. When you were just a child in her womb, she sacrificed her body for you. When you were an infant and spent hours crying at night, she selflessly stayed awake with you. When you were a kid in school and fought with her, she unconditionally loved you. It’s one of those rare experiences that we don’t get to witness very often and it’s most of the time overlooked and underappreciated. But today is Mother’s Day, so take a moment and reflect on how much your mother has silently been your champion, stood by your side, pushed you, loved you, nurtured you, cared for you, laughed with you, cried with you, disciplined you, fought for you, cried for you, prayed for you. If that’s not a reflection of God’s love on earth, I’m not sure what is.

So happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. To the biological mommies and the unbiological mommies. To the women who stepped into the “mom” roll in many childrens lives. To the teachers who represent that feminine influence to their children. To the pastors who guide their flock. To the grandmas and aunts and nieces that stepped up with life got tough. To all the women who encouraged and loved you along the way.

To my mother: my rock, my confidant, my friend, my therapist, my counselor, my travel bud, my cheerleader, my supporter, my encourager, my mom. Thank you for the exhausting years that you’ve been by my side and listened to me laugh, cry, moan, groan, and complain. Thank you for not giving up on me even when I’ve given up on myself. Thank you for teaching me and training me to be a woman of God. Thank you for coaching me and guiding me through difficult battles and thank you for stepping back and letting me learn my own way when needed. Thank you for pushing me when I needed a nudge and thank you for hugging me and protecting me from the pains of the world. I love you and am so thankful for having you as my mother.

The Six Elements

I was recently diagnosed with a condition, a sadly common condition among women these days. Devastated, all I could do was cry. Then, I found this wonderful treatment. I'd like to introduce you to the "Six Elements of a fail proof broken-heart curing treatment"

// Vitamin E, get much sleep, drink much water, travel to a place far away from the person you loved, meditate and teach your heart that this is destiny //

Sleep

Because sometimes your bed is the safest place in the world

Vitamin E

Avocado Chocolate Pudding (that counts right)

Water

Because the cure for everything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea

Travel

Because the best escape for me is buying a plane ticket and going. In the matter of a week I'll blow this popsicle stand and get out out of town for a while.

Meditate

God is close to the broken-hearted. I've learned to take time to stop. be still. pray and listen.

Learn 

2 new books and a cup of tea later….

Or if all else fails…there's always wine and chocolate :)

The Bridge

"Someone can be madly in love with you and still not be ready. They can love you in a way you have never been loved and still not join you on the bridge. And whatever their reasons, you must leave. Because you never ever have to inspire anyone to meet you on the bridge. You never ever have to convince someone to do the work to be ready. There is more extraordinary love, more love that you have never seen, out here in this wide and wild universe. And there is the love that will be ready" -NW 

You never ever need to convince someone to meet you on the bridge. Let them stand on their side and watch you walk straight off the other side. Maybe one day they'll run across the bridge to find you or maybe they won't, but no one deserves to stand on the bridge alone and try to convince someone to step out on the bridge.

You are already loved by someone so intensely that He died to know you. Talk about taking stepping out on the bridge when it matters most…

Day 27 of 30: In the End

Day 27 of 30: If tomorrow was your last day on earth, what would you do with your time?

James 4:4 "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog- it's here a little while, then its gone". We are not guaranteed an extra day on the Earth. How do we know that today isn't our last day on this planet- what would you do, and how would you react?

I'm not sure if anyone is ever truly ready to say goodbye to the ones they love; it feels like there is never enough time to get all we want accomplished. I believe knowing that today would be my last day would change my perspective on whether or not I was able to finish all the tasks on my check list- the meaningless checklist that we feel like we must complete to have a 'successful' day. 

I wouldn't be scared to be completely transparent and tell the people I love that I truly and deeply love them. I would hope that they would already know how I felt about them, but I would just take an extra moment to articulate my feelings and express how much they have changed my life. 

Shocking I know, but I love to write, so I think I would sit down and write a letter to my family and just…write: write about my memories, write about the fun trips we shared, write about the hard moments that brought growth through pain, write about my unconditional love and thankfulness for them in my life.

I would take take that risk that I'd been holding back on: I'd tell that guy I love him. I'd cut and color my hair. I'd go bungee jumping. I wouldn't let the fear of the future hold me back. I would have a reckless abandonment that only God can give you and finally have peace about my decisions. I would want to stay up all night gazing at the stars and marvel at God's wonder and splendor.

Mostly, however, I would spend every waking moment with my family and friends and soak up their every-being and cherish the final moments I was allowed with them. Because in the end, it's the people and the memories we have that make our life truly worthwhile. 

Day 10 of 30: Love Like a Child

Day of 10 of 30: Discuss your first love.

His name was Christopher Valentine and I was in 2nd grade. I'm not sure if it was his name (I mean come on, how could you not love someone with a name like Christopher Valentine) or his blonde-hair, blue-eyed Scandinavianness that won me over. If I remember correctly, we sat next to one another in school. We shared lemon drops and gummy bears together. First love- so innocent and sweet. 

I honestly don't remember anything else about him or if we "dated" according to 2nd grade standards but he was the first guy that popped in my head. In 3rd grade I moved to a different town and no longer went to that school, so who knows what would have happened to Christopher and I... I guess I will never find out. 

Young love, how innocent and pure and cute. Sharing gummy bears and lemon drops were the signs of love. Playing on the playground was a date. Walking next to you in the hallway was a gentlemanly act. Talk about having faith of a child and loving with child innocence.

In Christ Alone

"In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song"

It's incredibly easy to get caught up in the world. The world tells us women that our worth is found in our relationship status, job title, GPA, pant size, our clothes or are outward beauty. As a sorority mentor for years and a Bible study leader I've witnessed many girls that struggle with self-worth, a subject I personally have struggled with and I know many others have too. 

In my morning devotional (Jesus Calling) it said: 

"My children make a pastime of judging one another and themselves. But I am the only capable Judge, and I have acquitted you through My own blood. Your acquittal came at the price of My unparalleled sacrifice. That is why I am highly offended when I hear My children judge one another or indulge in self-hatred. 

If you live close to Me and absorb My Word, the Holy Spirit will guide and correct you as needed. There is no condemnation for those who belong to Me."

Luke 6:37; 2 Timothy 4:8; Titus 3:4 & Romans 8:1

What a humbling reminder that when we are so hard on ourselves, judging and picking at every little thing, it literally makes His heart ache. Someone once explained it like this once: if you were an artist and put your whole heart into a masterpiece you were so proud of and then you put it out into the art world. Then people start picking it apart ruthlessly and tirelessly. Here you have made this perfect piece of artwork and people ridicule your heart and soul. God loves us just the way we are because He made us in His image, even though that is hard for us to comprehend sometimes. 

I am the worst culprit of this myself! I am highly self-critical, nit-picky, judgmental and hard on myself. It is a daily conscious effort to choose to be loving, accepting and not so critical on yourself, an effort that takes time to consciously choose. 

Once you understand that your worth is not tied up in your job, your boyfriend, your behavior, the friends you choose to hang out with, your number on the scale, or your clothes, you become free in Christ. Your worth is greater than gold, more precious than the finest jewels, and more lovely than you understand. Your worth is found in Christ.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

My name is...

I fall short on a daily basis; actually on an hourly basis... I take that back, every second of every day I fall short of the perfect Son of God. Exhausting isn't it? It's like a child learning to walk for the first time; they try and try and try and they just keep falling backwards. If we were born sinners, then there would not be one single thing we could do to change our damned fate. Ah, but there is something! It's not something you can buy and it's not an act you have to perform; it's called grace. 

Grace & Forgiveness: these two simple concepts are God's greatest gift to us. He offers us forgiveness and shows us grace. 

The enemy will use your sins against you on a daily basis! He will throw your past in your path when you're on the path God has planned for you. He'll splash your past on you like a cold bucket of water when you're resting in God's forgiveness. He will call out your past, your indiscretions, your shortcomings and will hold them out for you to feel again with a taunting smile and whisper those daggers of lies: "you're not good enough" "you'll never learn" "you don't deserve forgiveness" "it was your fault" "you're a failure" "God doesn't love you". But don't fall into this trap! Satan knows your name but calls you by your sin. He knows who you are, but will only look at your shortcomings.

God on the other hand, He knows every single one of our sins. He also knows every freckle, every hair, every tooth, every tear, every thought you've ever or will have and know what- he still calls you by your name. Grace is having a relationship with someone's heart, not their behaviors.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

God knows your sin but calls you by your name. He calls you wonderful. He calls you beautiful. He calls you His. He calls you beloved. He calls you blessed. He calls you perfect in imperfection. He calls you by your name: Forgiven Child. 

Hi, I'm a Runner.

Some say that at a certain point during a run, you break through the wall and enter a "runners high" where you are in this incredible zone of freedom; you feel nothing, you sense nothing, and the only noise you hear is the rhythmic beats of your feet pounding pavement. Your lungs suddenly stop struggling to keep a steady breath and you can feel the wild abandonment that coincides with being able to run like nothing will catch you.

I have never had that feeling.

I hate running.

Running is literally one of my least favorite forms of exercises to do and most of the time when I arrive at Crossfit and I see running on the menu, I have to fight this urge to turn right back around and flee to my car. Running is just not something I enjoy; I can't get into a runners high and all I can think about is when is the torture going to end.

So no. I'm not a runner; but I run. 

Over the last few years I've pursued the wrong guys and been burned in the process. Offended and hurt, I retreated to the only thing I knew- the safe haven of the Lord and His promise for my life. "'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future'" Jeremiah 29:11.  

I realize my list of expectations and qualities in a man are high, but by no means do I think they are outrageous. I did realize however, that I expected a man to be this incredibly Godly man who would be a prayerful leader of a household, and a man who recklessly pursues the Lord and His will for His life; but was I worthy of a man like that? A few months ago I took a step back and looked at my "list" and reflected on myself and my own characteristics. Would I measure up to a guys "list"? It made me humbly recognize that my heart wasn't completely hidden in the Lord, but it was just hidden in general from friends, family and myself. That's when I realized I was doing this wrong. How can I expect a man to have all the checklists of the ideal Christian guy if I am not 100% hidden in the Lord myself? So what did I do? I ran.

I run from all relationships and the possibilities of relationships towards God's love and protection. I realized if I submitted my entire heart to the Lord, he would keep it safe until the right guy (or sucker...depending on how you look at it) could actually keep up with me. Then, and only then, would I know that this guy was worth the while and see where things lead. 

So yes, I'm a runner. I don't run out of fear or rejection but I run for joy and fulfillment in the only One who can bring peace. 

Valentines Day Cupcake Style

Happy Valentines Day from the Traveling Cupcake!

Don't forget that this day is not just about showing your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife how much they mean to you- there are other people that deserve to know they're loved as well. Remember the friends who have been by your side through all the "broken hearts" and tears over dating issues. Remember the friends that sat on the couch with you on Friday night watching "Bridesday Friday" on TLC while eating Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. Most importantly, remember your family who has helped raised you, listened to you for years, and always loved you through it all.

Not only have my parents always been supportive of any choice I've made, and I truly couldn't show them how much I appreciate them, but they've always shown love, kindness, support and given advice throughout 20+ years of life.

However, there is one special woman who I called today and it reminds me of God's love for us- and that is my grandmother. Grandma is a teeny-tiny 4'9 Scandinavian blonde haired woman who has spent almost her entire life in the kitchen. My grandfather and the love of her life sadly passed away going on five years ago, and its on Sundays and days like this that I feel she misses him most. I spent a lovely hour and a half catching up with Grandma and I love hearing about all the "new recipes" she is trying and her weekly outings with her friend Judith. Ever since my grandfather passed away I have made it a point to call her every Sunday afternoon after Church and I love our little time of fellowship. 

Don't forget about the special people in your lives today; besides your significant others there are friends and family members right around you that deserve to know how much they're loved. The past generation is sadly a dying breed, and there is so much we can learn from them: such a more simple, quiet, and natural lifestyle. So tonight as I curl up with a glass of wine and a book with a stereotypical Nicholas Sparks movie in the background, I am thankful for the people who show me love in my life. 

It's a New Year; What's Your Word?

The time has come, to raise our glass, and say ciao to another year over and bonjour to a new one dawning. It is always amusing how much nostalgia and longing is wrapped up into one simple day, New Years Eve; we sit and reminisce with friends and family about all the things we accomplished in the past year: people met, trips taken, goals obtained, promises kept...and all the things we didn't quite get to: losing that last 10lbs, paying off our debt, becoming a yoga master, balancing our checkbooks. Yet, every year we sit on New Years Eve and make a pact to ourselves and our friends that next year will be different. I don't know about you, but I find myself making the same exact resolutions every year; and obviously the goals are never quite met...hence why I'm sitting her on the cusp of another year still contemplating the same exact goals.

So instead of making another resolution to accomplish something tangible: losing weight, making more money, becoming more dedicated to the gym, I've decided to partake in something that the lead pastor at Port City Community Church (Mike Ashcraft) implemented last year: MY ONE WORD. The premise behind this philosophy is to pick one word or phrase that you are going to work on and focus on for that entire year, a word you will pray about, focus on, read devotionals about. I actually did this last year. Want to know my word: happiness. Such a simple philosophy, yet I had never been truly happy in life. I dealt with a lot of issues, insecurities, doubts, fears, loneliness. It was hard, and it took God's hand in my life to really show me how to be happy. Tonight, I look back on 2012 and realize I found happiness. So tonight, I close the chapter on 2012 and look fondly on what 2013 will bring and have to offer; I haven't decided on my one word yet but I am interested to see what God lays on my heart.

Ciao 2012 and Bonjour 2013. I hope all you out there have a wonderful and beautiful 1st day of 2013.  

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass... Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" Psalm 37:4,7